Stephanie Vanderslice

Author, Professor, Blogger, and Huffington Post writer

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Readings, Standing Ovations and Once More to the Pokemon Shirt

November 7, 2007 by Stephanie Vanderslice Filed Under: Uncategorized

Every act of violence is a betrayal of language.

Naomi Shihab Nye

Naomi Nye gave a reading here last night and finished with a lullabye about a chicken that drew a well deserved standing ovation.  Her reading was so powerful I’m almost at a loss for words.  Suffice it to say that she told us that she leaves a reading satisfied when she feels as if, “words have weight again.”

Well, my friends (as Nye would say), words have weight again.  Or more weight, I should say.  It is readings like that, the many opportunities I have to celebrate the sacredness of the word with my family, my friends, my students and writers like Naomi Nye that remind me what a blessed, blessed life I lead. 

In Other News. . .

Things have been relatively quiet wardrobe-wise, since we found Jerzees sweatpants at Dollar General last Friday for $5/pair.  We stocked up and both kids now have them in every color.  And Will is a happy, happy boy as long as he has his sweatpants on.

However, I did get to witness another philosophical discussion about the yellow Pokemon shirt.

John: (holding up the shirt) Ok, since you’re going to be wearing a sweatshirt today, you can wear this shirt under it.  That should be fine, right?

Will: (giving John a withering look)  Daddy, it’s not winter yet.  I can’t wear that shirt until winter.

John:  I should just give it away then.  For some reason, you won’t wear it.

Will:  I’ll wear it.  When it’s winter.

John: So, I’ll give you another long sleeve shirt and you’ll wear that under your sweatshirt?

Will:  Yes.

John: What’s the difference?

Will:  It’s not winter yet.

Children.  Master’s of the circular argument.  I have to say, though, winter or not, things are just not looking good for the Pokemon shirt.

Comments

  1. tim sisk says

    November 8, 2007 at 12:12 am

    One of my favorite tshirts came from Old Navy (though it doesn’t look like it did) and it says “Euro Music Festival” on it in a really vintage looking font. However, I’ll only wear it around the house or as an undershirt, because I’m afraid if I wear it in plain view, people will ask me how the music fest was and did I get to see the Hague, Big Ben, or the Berlin Wall when I was in Europe, to which I’ll be forced to reply that no, I actually didn’t go to Europe but Old Navy. And I will lose all the cool points I had gained by giving the mystique of a well-traveled music snob.

  2. mondastrange says

    November 8, 2007 at 2:12 am

    The Nye reading was gorgeous. The song at the end was perfect punctuation.

  3. Steph says

    November 8, 2007 at 1:31 pm

    Tim–you should make up a story about the Euro Music Festival. Or it would make a great excuse to go!
    SV

  4. Bri says

    November 9, 2007 at 5:12 pm

    I didn’t get to attend the reading, but Maegan and Garrett both said it was fantastic. As far as the “sacred-ness” of the word goes, I’m always amazed when I find it in the rare wonderful book. The Tale of Despereaux was one of those…and Oryx and Crake (which is fantastic).
    Bri

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STEPHANIE VANDERSLICE

Author, Professor, Blogger, and Huffington Post writer. Stephanie Vanderslice aims to write what she likes to read: fiction and nonfiction that spins a web to lure the reader in. Read More…

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